Things Fall Apart Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Things Fall Apart?

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is an important piece of African literature that was first published in 1958. It tells the story of Okonkwo, who is a powerful leader in an Igbo village located in Nigeria during the late 19th century. The novel examines how traditional Igbo culture clashes with the onslaught of British colonialism and Christian missionaries. In addition to its theme of cultural conflict, it also explores themes such as gender roles, personal identity, and social class. The novel begins with a brief description of Umuofia, the fictional Nigerian village where Okonkwo lives and works as a farmer and wrestling champion. This setting sets up for readers what life was like before colonization began to take hold. Throughout this part of the book we see how superstitions drive many decisions made within the community, including punishments for criminal behavior or those who violate tribal customs. We also learn about different ceremonial practices such as weddings and funerals that reveal more about traditional beliefs surrounding death and marriage within Igbo society at this time period. Okonkwo’s struggles begin when he returns home after seven years away from his tribe due to being sent into exile following an accidental killing he committed out of rage during a wrestling match. Upon arriving home he finds drastic changes have taken place one example being that Christianity has been introduced by white colonialists whose presence is met with much resistance from members of his tribe but not without some converts along the way which further adds tension amongst family members leading to tragic consequences later on in the novel. In addition to facing religious conflicts between traditional worshipers and Christians, Okonkwo must deal with other societal issues such as fighting against oppressive laws imposed by colonizers or disobeying social conventions which cause him more grief than good throughout his journey towards finding peace once again.. He must face internal strife regarding his own identity as a man struggling between modernity encouraged through outside influences versus clinging onto unity within his community amidst great change happening around him all while trying desperately to keep things from falling apart even if this means going against everything he once believed was right at times – making it difficult for him emotionally let go off past ideologies no matter how outdated they may be seen today-in order find true sense balance so he can move forward without loosing himself completely in process either way possible outcome turns out . Ultimately Things Fall Apart serves as an exploration into complex matters concerning power dynamics between different societies during periods of transition- examining both physical violence taking place on ground level combined psychological repercussions felt by individuals directly effected by these events whether actively participating or passively observing them unfold up close . Through thoughtful narrative structure , Achebe manages not only share unique insight into topic (which still relevant today) but also remind us importance understanding history behind any type conflict before rushing judgement upon involved parties involved based solely appearances alone .